The 2016 Malartic-Lagravière, a Bordeaux blend from the Pessac-Léognan sub-region of Bordeaux, France, has garnered significant praise from wine critics for its exceptional quality and complexity. This red wine consists of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot, and is produced by the esteemed Malartic-Lagravière estate.
James Suckling awards this wine an impressive 96 points, highlighting its "deep and complex nose" with cassis, mint, and blackberry notes, and emphasizing its "very long finish." Wine Enthusiast also bestows a 96-point score and praises the wine's "richly structured" nature, noting its "powerful flavors of black currant and dark berries" that suggest aging potential beyond 2026.
Vinous's Antonio Galloni gives the wine 94 points, describing it as having a "deeply intriguing interplay" of berry fruit and fresh notes, with nuances of lavender, rose petal, and mint. Similarly, Jeb Dunnuck, with his 94-point rating, commends its "beautiful cassis, tobacco, crushed rocks, and subtle incense aromas," calling it "balanced" and "seamless on the palate."
Decanter's 96-point review notes the wine's "rich and deep" color and "restrained grilled berry fruits," suggesting it will benefit from some aging. Jeff Leve, awarding 95 points, describes it as "round, plush, polished" with a "silky mouth feel" and a finish loaded with "espresso bean, fresh, dark cherry, and cocoa."
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and Wine Spectator both rate the wine at 92 points. The former describes it as "medium-bodied with a lively backbone" and an "herbal lift," while the latter finds it "ripe and fresh" with flavors of cherry, plum, and currant.
Overall, the 2016 Malartic-Lagravière is lauded for its complexity, balance, and aging potential, making it a standout vintage from this producer.